RALEIGH, NC (WBTV)- The State Highway Patrol concluded "Operation Drive to Live" after a week-long education and enforcement campaign.

The campaign, which began on Monday, April 15 and ended on Friday, April 19, was focused on promoting safe driving awareness to teenage drivers.

During the operation, Troopers enforced all traffic laws around the state's high schools and conducted traffic safety education programs. Troopers were actively looking for violations such as speeding, following too closely, careless and reckless driving, and any violation of the motor vehicle laws that can result in serious injury or death.

In addition, Troopers presented over 100 traffic safety education programs to students across the state.

Officials say that mile for mile, teenagers are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers. In 2011, 3,331 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver, compared to 3,267 in 2010.

NEWTON, NC (WBTV)- Catawba County's first confirmed case of rabies in 2013 has been recorded after a raccoon killed by two dogs in the Conover area tested positive for the disease, according to a release from Catawba County.
 
On April 17, 2013, Catawba County Animal Services was notified that the dogs killed the raccoon. The North Carolina Public Health Laboratory notified Catawba County on April 22, 2013, that the raccoon tested positive for rabies.
 
Neither of the dogs was current on the rabies vaccination and the owner of the dogs has decided to surrender them to Animal Services for euthanasia. 
 
Animal Services reminds pet owners that rabies is still present in the local wild animal population and is a threat to pets and humans, year-round.  The best way to protect your pets from rabies is to have them properly vaccinated for rabies. 
 

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV)- If you happened to be out very early this morning, were far away from city lights, and were able to pick out the brightest streaks in the sky, then you may have seen the peak of the Lyrid meteor shower.

This shower occurs every year in mid to late April when the Earth passes through a trail of debris from the Comet Thatcher.

This year's biggest obstacle to viewing today was the moon, nearly full this morning, which reflected enough sunlight to block out all but the brightest meteors.

Some meteors will be visible until April 25th. Rarely, outbursts of up to 100 meteors per hour can be seen, although more commonly this meteor shower will produce only 15-20 meteors per hour.

If you do happen to snap a shot, we'd love to see your pictures!  Submit them here.

The next meteor shower, the Eta Aquarids, will occur on the nights of May 4-5.